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Sunday, August 26, 2007

On imprisoned students

I am writing you this letter regarding the situation of imprisoned students of Amirkabir University (Polytechnic) in Tehran. The Islamic Republic of Iran has launched a new wave of barbaric oppression in universities. Many students have been banned from studying; tens of others have been arrested and tortured. Three students of Amirkabir University, Majid Tavakoli, Ahmad Qassaban, and Ehsan Mansouri, have been accused of writing and distributing articles against Islamic Republic authorities and against Islam and they have been arrested. The aforementioned students have rejected the accusations; they have enough evidence to show that those articles were counterfeits made by the regime’s agents to be used as alibi against students.

These students have been kept in individual cells of notorious Evin Prison, Section 209 for the last four months. They have been subjected to cruelest tortures. They have been prevented from having access to lawyer and from being visited and they have been pushed to confession on TV. Recently, they have also been prevented from phone communication with their families. Judge Mortazavi, who is one of judiciary authorities of the Islamic Republic, has threatened the families of these students that if they do not keep quiet and go on protesting they will not be able to see their children. Ehsan Mansouri’s father says “it seems that the situation of detained students will be as unfortunate as before because Ehsan, in a former meeting, had told me that if the phone communication is cut it means that we are definitely in individual cells.” Brother of Majid Tavakoli, the other detained student, says “Judge Mortazavi told us in an aggressive manner that the students have not been tortured, but from now on they will be.”

Two other students, Hedayat Qazali and Sabah Nassiri, who study at Tehran University and who are persons in charge of student paper Rojhame have been detained by police forces more than a month ago. There has been no information about their situation, where they have been kept and the reason of their detention. The families of these two students are worried about the fate of their children; they are worried that these students are being subject to pressure and torture.

The Islamic Republic, which have been criticized and attacked by Iranian people, is trying to continue its being with the use of oppression, atrocities and a new wave of executions. The Islamic regime attacks the youth because they reject the Islamic veiling (hijab) and because they want to be happy. The regime arrests young people; labeling them vagabond and tramp; execute them in public, and publicize the execution scenes from its TV stations. Despite all these atrocities and barbaric acts the youth and the students do not step back from their struggle against the regime and to change the existing situation and they continue their fight in different forms.

Youth Communist Organization calls on Amnesty International, human rights organizations, student associations and groups all around the world to support the struggle of Iranian youth and students against the anti-humane Islamic Republic.

The Islamic Republic should be pressured internationally to stop its criminal activities, to stop harassing and oppressing the youth and the students, and to free the three detained Polytechnic students and all other political prisoners.

I call upon all human rights organizations and all the libertarians around the globe to stand by Iranian people in any form they can and to take part in the international struggle and to participate in the actions against the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Republic should be flooded with protesting letters coming from all around the world.

The Iranian youth deserve the strongest support from humanitarians and libertarians all around the world.

Navid MinayeeSecretary General of the Communist Youth OrganizationAugust 20, 2007